Sheet handling apparatus



Sept. 16, 1969 R. c. JEWELL 3,467,261

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORROWAN C. JEWELL mu; Cram 5 M Sept. 16, 1969 c. JEWELL 3,467,261

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1363 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 J 4| 1 FI ZAjk/Zl 8 9 mllfi 7 FIGS. --,I FIG.4.

4s 46 qt 1 1 INVENTOR ROWAN C. JEWELL Sept. 16, 1969 R. c. JEWELL3,467,261

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORROWAN C. JEWELL United States Patent US. Cl. 2141 9 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for lifting and supporting wallboard or othersheet material and having an upright support on which is mounted avertiually reciprocable sheet-lifting member which constantly is biasedto an elevated position, the apparatus including releasable latch meansfor latching the sheet-lifting member in a lowered position against thebias of the spring, thereby facilitating the loading of sheet materialon the sheet-lifting member and enabling effortless lifting of the sheetmaterial to a desired elevation.

The invention disclosed herein relates to apparatus for handling sheetmaterial such as wallboard of the kind utilized in the construction ofthe interior walls and ceilings of buildings, and more particularly theinvention relates to apparatus for facilitating the raising andsupporting of such sheets in position for nailing t0 the studs andjoists of such a building.

In the construction of dwellings and other buildings, it is quite commonfor the interior walls and ceilings to be formed by large sheets of asuitable material which are nailed or otherwise secured to the uprightstuds or horizontal joists of the building. The size of such sheets mayvary, some being 4 feet by 8 feet, some being 4 feet by 12 feet, andothers being 4 feet by 18 feet. In any event, the size of such a sheetmakes it awkward to handle. In addition, each such sheets hassubstantial weight, thereby further increasing the difficulty inhandling of the sheet. The utilization of such sheets to form theceiling of a building is particularly difficult inasmuch as the sheetmust be located quite precisely and supported manually until sufli'cientnails or other anchoring devices have been driven through the sheet toenable it to be supported without manual assistance. The need forprecise location of such a sheet, coupled with its size and weight,frequently requires the services of two or more persons merely to locateand initiate nailing of the sheet. As a result, the expense of utilizingsuch sheets in the construction of a building is greater than itotherwise might be.

Various kinds of devices for supporting and lifting drywall sheets havebeen proposed heretofore. Some are more efiective than others, but allof them appear to be subject to the criticism that their use does notavoid the necessity of the workmans having to raise the sheet, as wellas the support, to the desired elevation.

An object of this invention is to provide sheet handling apparatus whichovercomes the objectionable characteristics referred to above.

Another object of the invention is to provide sheet handling apparatusby means of which one person may position and elevate a drywall or thelike sheet to a desired level without the expenditure of any substantialenergy in the lifting of the sheet.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thecharacter referred to which permits location of a sheet in a desiredposition ready for anchoring and without any interference from the sheetsupporting apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed outspecifically or will become apparent from the following description whenit is considered in conjunction ice with the appended claims and theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end elevational view of apparatus constructed inaccordance with the invention and illustrating in phantom lines a sheetof drywall or the like supported by the apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the apparatus shownin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1, but illustrating the apparatusin an elevated position and with the sheet supporting member swung to ahorizontal position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrating the parts ofthe apparatus in the positions shown in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view, on an enlarged scale, similar to FIGURE3, but illustrating the sheet lifting member in a locked position;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, and taken on theline 66 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged isometric view of a portion of theapparatus; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, isometric view, on an enlarged scale,illustrating the latching mechanism forming part of the invention.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention comprises anelongated, tubular member 1 having secured adjacent its upper end a pairof parallel plates 2 which project laterally beyond the member 1.Spanning the plates 2 is a pair of guide pins 3 for guiding verticallymovable lift means 4 having an elongated, tubular member 5 accommodatedbetween the guide pins 3. At the lower end of the member 5 is secured aU-shaped, laterally extending foot 6 which straddles the support member1 and carries a guide pin 7 which rides against the support 1. A tensionspring 8 has one of its ends anchored to the foot 6 by means of a pin 9and has its other end anchored to a similar pin 10 which spans a pair ofplates 11 which are fixed to the upper end of the support 1 and projectlaterally therefrom in a direction opposite to the direction in whichthe plates 2 extend. The arrangement is such that the spring 8 acts onthe member 5 and biases the latter to move upwardly from the positionshown in FIGURE 1 to the position shown in FIGURE 3.

Latch means designated generally by the reference character 12 isprovided for releasably latching the lift means 4 in a lowered positionagainst the bias of the spring 8. The latch means comprises an arm 13(see FIG- URE 8) pivoted by means of a pin 14 on a bracket 15 that iswelded or otherwise suitably fixed to the lift member 5. A torsionspring 16 is wound around the pin 14 and has one leg 17 which bearsagainst the bracket and another leg 18 which embraces the arm 13 so asconstantly to bias the latter to rock in a counterclockwise direction.At the lower end of the arm 13 is fixed to a handle 19 having a latchtongue 20 which is adapted to be accommodated beneath a laterallyprojecting tab or keeper 21 bent outwardly from the adjacent plate 2.The construction and arrangement of the latch means 12 are such that thetongue 12 constantly is biased by the spring 1-6 toward latchingengagement with the keeper 21, but the handle 19 may be manipulated soas to swing the arm 13 clockwise to effect disengagement of the latchparts 20 and 21, whereupon the spring 8 may elevate the lift means 4from the position shown in FIGURE 1 to the position shown in FIGURE 3.

The sheet lifting means 4 includes a tubular sheet supporting member 22at substantially the center of which is secured a substantiallysemicircular plate 23 that is apertured to accommodate a pivot pin 24mounted at the upper end of the member 5. The diameter of the aperturein the plate 23 is larger than the diameter of the pin 24, therebyenabling the plate 23 to be capable of wo'bbling about the axis of thepin 24. A compression spring 25 reacts between the plate 23 and a washer26 (FIGURE 5) on the pin 24 so as normally to maintain the plane of theplate 23 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the member 5. The plate,however, is capable of being moved longitudinally of the pin 24 againstthe bias of the spring 25. The plate 23 is provided with a notch 27 thatis adapted to accommodate an upstanding blade 28 that is securedadjacent the upper end of the member 5 and to which is secured a handle29. The notch 27 is so positioned that, when it accommodates the blade28, the tube 22 will be in a horizontal position.

Slideably accommodated in the hollow tube 22 is an elongated, preferablysquare bar 30 which is considerably longer than the tube 22. Thecross-sectional size of the bar 30 is such that the bar 30 may berotated about its own axis within the tube 22. Due to the square crosssection of the bar 30, it will have a tendency to rotate, but willremain in the angular position to which it is adjusted. To one end ofthe bar 30 is fixed a foot element 31 having an upstanding tongue 32which is of such length as to be capable of abutting the adjacent end ofthe tube 22 so as to prevent inadvertent removal of the bar 30 from thetube. At the opposite end of the bar 30 is a similar foot member 33having a similar upstanding foot 34. The members 31 and 33 are sooriented with respect to the bar 30 that they are angularly spaced 90from one another.

Locking means designated generally by the reference character 35 isprovided for releasably locking the members 1 and 5 in any selectedposition of adjustment. The locking means comprises toggle links 36pivoted as at 37 to an operating handle 38 which, in turn, is pivoted at39 to the member 11. The links 36 are pivoted at 39a to a bar 40 whichin turn is pivoted at 41 to the member 11. Extending through an openingin the bar 40 is a threaded shaft 42, the position of which may beadjusted by nuts 43 threaded onto the shaft 42. The shaft terminates ina foot 44 adapted to bear against the member 5 with sufiicient force toprevent relative movement between the members 1 and 5. The position ofthe foot 44 may be adjusted by manipulation of the nuts 43 so that, whenthe locking means 35 is in its locking position as shown in FIGURES 5and 6, the foot 44 will bear against the member 5 with the desiredforce.

The apparatus is adapted to be mounted in an upright position andconveniently may be mounted on a supporting base 45 comprising ahorizontal platform 46 to which is secured a plurality of foldable legs47. The base 45 may include a pair of frame members 48 and 49 joined atcorresponding ends by a pin 50 and secured at their other ends to theplatform 46. The frame member 49 preferably is provided with a pluralityof vertically spaced openings in any one of which a stud 51 fixed at thelower end of the support member 1 may be accommodated. A retainingbracket 52 is secured to the platform 46 and in which the support member1 is accommodated, the arrangement being such that the base 45 removablymounts the member 1 in an upright position. By selecting an appropriateopening in the frame member 49, the level at which the support 1 ismounted may be varied.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted foruse in pairs of identical units, the units being spaced apart a distancesuflicient to be spanned by a drywall or other sheet 53.

To condition the apparatus for operation, the support members 1 aremounted on their respective bases 45 and with the supports 1 at apredetermined level. Each lift device 4 then may be lowered by theapplication of a downward force on the handle 29, thereby causing themember 5 and its associated parts to slide downwardly relative to thesupport member 1. As the bar 5 slides downwardly, the latch tongue 20will pass beneath the latch keeper 21, whereupon the spring 16 willlocate the latch tongue 20 beneath the keeper 21. As the bar 5 movesdownwardly, the spring 8 is stretched or tensioned so as to cock thelift mechanism 4 in position for upward movement upon release of thelatch means.

With each of the lift mechanisms of the two units in lowered or cockedpositions, the supporting members 22 may be pivoted to a downwardlyinclined position by pushing a respective plate 23 longitudinally of thepin 24, as is permitted by the spring 25, so as to disengage the notch27 from the blade 28, whereupon the support 22 can be rocked downwardlyabout the axis of the pin 24. As the support 22 rocks downwardly, thesupporting bar 30 will slide downwardly within the tube 22 until thefoot 32 engages the end of the tube 22. The bar 30 then may be rotatedwithin the tube 22 so as to position the supporting foot 34 in aposition to embrace the lower edge of the sheet 53, as is shown inFIGURE 1.

When the sheet 53 is supported by the lift mechanisms of each unit, theoperator may rock the support bars toward a horizontal position. As thenotches 27 reach a position of alignment with the blades 28, the springs25 will snap the plates 23 into locking relation with the blades 28 wasto maintain the supports 22 in horizontal position. At this time thesupporting rods 30 may be rotated within the respective tubes 22 so thatneither of the supporting feet 32 and 34 projects beyond the plane ofthe sheet 53. In these positions of the parts, the operator may step onthe feet 6 so as to lower slightly the respective lift bars 5 to aposition in which the latches may be released. The operator then, byutilizing the handles 29, gradually may permit the springs 8 to elevatethe lift mechanisms 4, together with the supported sheet 53, until the'latter is in an elevated position in which it may be nailed to ceilingjoists.

If the height of the ceiling joists is such that the lift mechanismcannot cause the sheet 53 to bear against the joists, an adjustment maybe made in either of two ways. First, the stud 51 at the lower end ofthe support member 1 may be placed in a higher opening in the framemember 48. Second, the operator may elevate the lift mechanism 4manually by means of the handle 29 and, by manipulation of the lockingmeans 35, lock the lift bar 5 in elevated position.

The apparatus also can be utilized to support sheet material in positionfor nailing to vertical studs. In this instance, the sheet 53 will beassembled with the units in the same manner described previously, butthe support members 22 will not be rocked to horizontal position.Instead, the units will be located adjacent the stud and with thesupport bars 22 in their vertically inclined positions. The liftapparatus may be adjusted to a desired vertical position in the samemanner as described earlier and may be locked in the desired position byutilization of the locking means 35. The sheet then may be rockedrelatively to the support members 22, while still being supported by thesupporting feet 34, against the vertical stud for nailing thereto.

The disclosed embodiment is representative of a presently preferred formof the invention but is intended to be illustrative rather thandefinitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. Sheet handling apparatus comprising support means; lift means carriedby said support means for vertical reciprocation between raised andlowered positions; spring means acting between said support means andsaid lift means and constantly biasing the latter toward said raisedposition; releasable latch means carried by said lift means and saidsupport means operable releasably to latch said lift means in itslowered position against the bias of said spring means; sheet engagingmeans; and means mounting said sheet engaging means on said lift meansfor rocking movement about an axis from a first position inclined to thevertical to a second, substantially horizontal position.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said support means includesan upright member and wherein said lift means includes a rod-likemember, said members being slideable relatively to one another.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for releasablylocking said sheet engaging means in said second position.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet engaging meansis movable longitudinally of said axis.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sheet engaging meansincludes an elongated rod having an abutment at each of its ends, theabutment at one end of said rod extending in one direction therefrom andthe abutment at the other end of said rod extending in a differentdirection therefrom.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including means mounting said rodfor rotation about its longitudinal axis 7. Apparatus as set forth inclaim 1 including means mounting said support means in an uprightposition, said mounting means being adjustable to enable said sheetengaging means to be positioned at a selected predetermined level whensaid lift means is in said second position. 20

port member and said sheet lifting means and constantly biasing thelatter from a retracted position to an extended position in prolongationof said support member; and releasable latch means carried by saidmembers operable releasably to maintain said lifting member in saidretracted position against the bias of said spring means.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including releasable lock meanscarried by one of said members andoperable to engage the other of saidmembers to maintain said sheet lifting member in a selected position ofadjustment relative to said support member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1953 Victor 18537 XR 3,131,9285/1964 Whipple 2l4-1 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 933,347 8/1963 Great Britain.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

F. E. WERNER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 18537; 26774

